Tcdx serialization and deserialization

Introduction

The Dax.Tcdx NuGet package provides serialization and deserialization capabilities for the TCDX object model, a structured representation of tabular model usage in Power BI, Excel, and other analytical environments.

This package enables developers to import and export TCDX files, facilitating analysis of how tabular models are consumed by different clients. It works in conjunction with the Dax.Tcdx.Metadata** package, which defines the metadata structures required for TCDX operations.

Purpose

The Dax.Tcdx NuGet package is designed to:

• Serialize and deserialize the TCDX object model into structured JSON data.

Key Features

Serialization & Deserialization

• Converts the TCDX object model to and from structured JSON format.
• Uses the Dax.Tcdx.Metadata package to ensure compatibility with tabular models.

File Packaging

• Efficiently stores metadata using the TCDX format.
• Reads and writes compressed JSON-based structures.

Methods for Serialization and Deserialization

Exporting (Serialization)

The following methods are responsible for exporting (serializing) TCDX data:

• TcdxTools.ExportTcdx(Stream stream, VersionInfo versionInfo, ConsumersCollection consumers, QueryGroupsCollection queryGroups)
  This method exports TCDX data into a stream. It calls an internal implementation method to handle serialization.

• TcdxTools.ExportTcdx(string path, VersionInfo versionInfo, ConsumersCollection consumers, QueryGroupsCollection queryGroups)
  This method exports TCDX data into a file located at the specified path.

• ExportTcdx.ExportVersionInfo(VersionInfo versionInfo)
  This method serializes the VersionInfo object and writes it as TcdxVersionInfo.json.

• ExportTcdx.ExportConsumers(ConsumersCollection consumers)
  This method serializes the ConsumersCollection object and writes it as Consumers.json.

• ExportTcdx.ExportQueryGroups(QueryGroupsCollection queryGroups)
  This method serializes the QueryGroupsCollection object and writes it as QueryGroups.json.

Importing (Deserialization)

The following methods are responsible for importing (deserializing) TCDX data:

• TcdxTools.ImportTcdx(string path)
  Reads a TCDX file and deserializes its contents into structured objects including VersionInfo, ConsumersCollection, and QueryGroupsCollection.

• TcdxTools.ImportTcdx(Stream stream)
  Reads a TCDX stream and deserializes its contents.

• ImportTcdx.ImportVersionInfo()
  Deserializes TcdxVersionInfo.json into a VersionInfo object.

• ImportTcdx.ImportConsumers()
  Deserializes Consumers.json into a ConsumersCollection object.

• ImportTcdx.ImportQueryGroups()
  Deserializes QueryGroups.json into a QueryGroupsCollection object.

Format Definitions

The TCDX format uses structured JSON files to store data. The main components of the format are:

• TcdxVersionInfo.json - Stores metadata about the TCDX version and extraction tools.
• Consumers.json - Contains details about the consumers of the tabular model.
• QueryGroups.json - Captures query execution statistics and metadata.

Dependencies

The Dax.Tcdx package depends on the following:

• Dax.Tcdx.Metadata** - Provides the necessary metadata definitions for tabular model elements.
• Newtonsoft.Json - Used for JSON serialization and deserialization.

Additional Notes:

• The package is designed for Power BI professionals, Excel analysts, and data engineers who need structured insights into their tabular models.
• For privacy reasons, sensitive data is stored using TcdxName objects, allowing future anonymization features.